RICHMOND, Ky. -- Kentucky would receive
$175 million to dispose of chemical weapons under provisions included in
the federal budget unveiled this week.
The Pentagon had cut funding for the programs by $33 million last year. The
new budget proposal reinstates that money and adds the $317 million. The
proposal includes $46 million for program management, $175 million for Kentucky
and $129 million for Colorado.
The previous cut in funding would have resulted in continuing to store more
than 880,000 weapons for at least five more years before beginning construction
of disposal facilities.
U.S. Sens. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Wayne Allard, R-Colo., along with
anti-chemical weapons groups, praised the decision to add funds to the chemical
weapons disposal plan.
Craig Williams, director of the Berea-based Chemical Weapons Working Group,
calls the recent budget "a unique victory."
"To turn a Pentagon decision of this magnitude around in a little over a
year's time, well, it doesn't usually happen," Williams said.
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Information from: Richmond Register, http://www.richmondregister.com